1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to marking devices, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved bingo marker for use in placing ink spots on bingo cards. The game of bingo is tremendously popular and a wide variety of commercial bingo daubers are available for marking bingo cards. The conventional bingo dauber utilizes a round sponge rubber ink applicator in fluid communication with an ink reservoir. A typical individual playing bingo places great reliance upon the elements of luck and chance. These individuals enjoy the use of lucky charms and symbols including dollar signs, hearts, four leaf clovers, etc. In order to add increased enjoyment to the game of bingo for these individuals, the present invention provides a specially designed ink marker which utilizes replaceable sponge applicators configured to produce various different designed ink marks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of marking devices are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a marking device is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,453,201, which issued to J. Cushman on Nov. 9, 1948. This patent discloses an ink marking device including an elongated cylindrical reservoir having a socket for removably receiving an applicator tip selected from a set of differently designed marking tips. U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,464, which issued to S. Rosenthal on Feb. 17, 1959, discloses a marking device for applying ink upon a surface to be stenciled which includes an elongated handle including an interior tubular ink reservoir. A fibrous applicator is secured by a threaded connection to the handle portion. U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,024, which issued to E. Nelson et al on Oct. 31, 1961, discloses a marking device which includes a cylindrical fabric applicator secured to a threaded cap for mounting upon the threaded neck of a paint reservoir. U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,826, which issued to W. Berghahn on Sept. 27, 1977, discloses a liquid applicator having a cylindrical liquid reservoir fitted with a hemispherical applicator formed from a sintered porous synthetic plastic resin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,426, which issued to D. Adams on Feb. 17, 1987, discloses a dual purpose game playing magnetic wand having one end formed as a magnetized extension for selectively removing ferromagnetic game pieces from a playing board while the handle or other end of the wand is hollow having a wick and marking fluid therein to be used for permanently marking a game playing board when desired.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices disclose the use of a bingo game ink marker utilizing replaceable applicators selected from a set of differently designed applicators. An additional feature of the present invention, not contemplated by the aforesaid prior art devices, is the provision of a cubical ink reservoir having six faces each bearing a differently designed ink applicator. None of aforesaid prior art devices contemplate the use of such an indexable marker for producing differently designed marks on bingo game cards. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of marking devices, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such marking devices, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.